CA Superintendent of Schools: ‘Dropout rate is unnacceptable’

California school Superintendent Jack O'Connell says the dropout rate among black and Latino high school students could be higher than what educators already believe it to be.

KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.

O'Connell spoke to a group of San Diego County educators about the state's dropout rate. He says about 40 percent of black and Latino students in California never finish high school - but that number might be even higher. O'Connell says the state's education system has no accurate way of measuring the dropout rate.

O'Connell: "The governor likes to say its 50 percent dropout, if you use the federal criteria for us, its about 13 percent dropout. The reality is, we don't know. But let me tell you this for certainty. The drop rate in California is too high. Its unacceptable."

O'Connell wants every California student to be assigned a number. That would allow educators to track the student's progress. Legislators have approved the system, but not the money to fund it. Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.